Lady Iris Kemp | |
|---|---|
 Kemp in 1934 | |
| Born | Iris Victoria Beatrice Grace Mountbatten (1920-01-13)13 January 1920 Kensington Palace,London, England |
| Died | 1 September 1982(1982-09-01) (aged 62) |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, model |
| Spouses | |
| Children | Robin Alexander Bryan |
| Parent(s) | Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke Lady Irene Denison |
| Family | Battenberg/Mountbatten |
Lady Iris Victoria Beatrice Grace Kemp (néeMountbatten, formerlyO'Malley, laterBryan; 13 January 1920 – 1 September 1982) was an English actress and model, and a member of theBattenberg/Mountbatten family. She was the youngest great-grandchild ofQueen Victoria. She was also a niece ofQueen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, making her a first cousin ofInfante Juan, Count of Barcelona, father ofJuan Carlos I and grandfather of current KingFelipe VI of Spain, as well asInfante Jaime, Duke of Segovia, theLegitimist claimant to the French throne. She was also a second cousin ofPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, consort ofQueen Elizabeth II.
Iris Victoria Beatrice Grace Mountbatten was born atKensington Palace,London on 13 January 1920, the only child ofAlexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke, eldest of three sons and one daughter ofPrincess Beatrice andPrince Henry of Battenberg.[1] Her mother, the Marchioness of CarisbrookeGBE (1938),DJStJ,Order of Queen Maria Luisa, was bornLady Irene Frances Adza Denison (4 July 1890 – 16 July 1956) the only daughter of William Francis Henry Denison, 2ndEarl of Londesborough and Lady Grace Adelaide Fane (3 October 1860 – 13 June 1933), a daughter ofFrancis William Henry Fane, 12th Earl of Westmorland.
Lady Carisbrooke had two brothers of whom only one, Hugo William Cecil Denison, 4th and lastEarl of Londesborough, was married. He and his wife had one child, Iris's only maternal first cousin, Lady Zinnia Rosemary Denison (25 November 1937 – 13 July 1997) a keen equestrian and Master of the Whaddon ChaseHunt 1982–84. 'The Lady Zinnia Judd Challenge Trophy' named in memory of her, is presented in the Hunter Championship for the 'Best Hunter in Show' at theRoyal Windsor Horse Show.
On 29 November 1934, Iris was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her third cousin,Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, to Iris’ second cousin,Prince George, Duke of Kent. (Marina and Iris were related through the Hesse family, while George and Iris were both great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria.) On 4 September 1935, at St. Oswald's Church,Blankney,Lincolnshire, she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her uncle Lord Londesborough to Marigold Rosemary Joyce Lubbock (15 May 1903 – 15 May 1976). On 12 May 1937 at theircoronation, Iris was one of the six train bearers toQueen Elizabeth, wife and consort of her second cousin KingGeorge VI.[2]
She attended a variety of royal and aristocratic events in her youth, being a well known and much photographeddébutante. DuringWorld War II she worked as a nurse's aide, later moving to theUnited States, where she taught dance.[3] She became an actress and model, appearing as a hostess for a live TV children's programmeVersatile Varieties (CBS Television, 1951), which featured actressesEva Marie Saint andEdie Adams.[4][5] She also appeared endorsingPond's Creams[6] and Warrens Mint Cocktail Gum.[7]
Lady Iris was married three times. On 29 January 1941 Lady Iris received Royal Licence by King George VI to marry Captain (later Major) Hamilton Joseph Keyes O'Malley (after an engagement formally announced inThe Times on 18 January 1941). They married on 15 February 1941 (privately, to satisfy the groom's faith) at St Paul's RC Church,Haywards Heath,West Sussex, but then were married in the rites of theChurch of England at St. Mary's CE Parish inBalcombe,West Sussex. They divorced on 24 September 1946. Lady Iris formally reverted to her maiden name of Mountbatten byDeed poll dated 7 January 1949. They had no children.
On 5 May 1957, atPound Ridge, New York, she marriedMichael Neely Bryan (9 August 1916 – 20 August 1972), son of James R. Bryan and Laura A. Neely, an American jazz musician. They divorced months later, in 1957. Lady Iris, by her second marriage, had one child, Robin Alexander Bryan (bornMount Sinai Hospital,Manhattan,New York City, 20 December 1957), who has three natural children from three different women.
On 11 December 1965, she married William Alexander Kemp (10 July 1921 – 12 December 1991), son of Clarence Arthur Kemp and Helen Janet Ballantyne, a Canadian actor and announcer. They had no children.[8][9]
Lady Iris died on 1 September 1982 atWellesley Hospital,Toronto, Ontario,Canada,[8] of a brain tumour. Her funeral was held atSt. Paul's, Bloor Street, in Toronto.[10] Her ashes were brought to theIsle of Wight for interment in theBattenberg Chapel, atSt. Mildred's Church, Whippingham.
Battenberg/Mountbatten family | ||
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Generations are numbered by their descent fromPrince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine andJulia, Princess of Battenberg | ||
| 1st generation |  | |
| 2nd generation | ||
| 3rd generation | ||
| 4th generation | ||
| 5th generation |
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*Not Mountbatten or Battenberg by birth. Adopted the surname Mountbatten from his maternal line on abandoning his patrilineal Greek and Danish princely titles. | ||
